Glossaire de l’Antiquité

This is the first in a series of articles which will define some of the more obscure terms that joueurs de guerre run into when reading about their armies. Many of the common terms, like hoplite, Panzer, ou cuirassier have been omitted.

There are very few Asian terms in the ancient glossary, because they are rarely used in military history texts published in English. In the case of Latin et grec, however, textes anglais frequently continued to use the original word, rather than translate it. As a result, most of the words here are (L)atin ou (G)reek.

Terme

Définition

Diadochi (G)

Successors d’Alexandre le Grand, usually his generals.

Hwarang

Korean for "Flower Boys" – The cavaliers of the Korean army - well
dressed et impetuous young noble cavalry.

Men taken from the lowest taxed class to fill the ranks of the Roman heavy
infantry. They followed the legion in their street clothes, et stood in the rear rank of
the third line, ready to pick up the arms of the fallen et fill their places. They were
also used as workmen et orderlies.

argyraspides (G)

Literally, silver shields. The remnants of the original pikemen macédoniens d’Alexandre le Grand, who formed the elite in the successor armies, et displayed their status et travels with shields overlaid avec argent indien.

Balista (L)

A large, crossbow-like device, usually powered by a pair of torsion springs
(twisted ropes, in this case), used par les Grecs et Romains, et probably others. Balista fired
bolts ou arrows in a variety of sizes.

cassis (L)

The bronze helmet worn by Roman soldiers.

clibanarii

Cataphract. There is some debate about whether a clibinarii et a cataphract are the same thing. If an author uses both, clibinarii usually implied a more heavily armoured, more Asiatic style cataphract, typical des Persans Sassinid.

cohors (L)cohort

One tenth of a Marian legion.

dipylon (G)

A large oval shield avec cutouts on the sides. A figurine eight. From the Homeric
and Mycanean periods.

dromon

A round-bottom sailing vessel. The most common ship type used by the Arabs
and the Bzyantines.

equites (L)

Roman cavalry.

falx

A two-handed cutting weapon used by the Dacians. Similar to the rhompia used by
he Thracians, avec a curved blade et long haft.